Furnace



July 11, 1933. W. (g,l ADAM ET AL 1,917,682

FURNACE Filed Sept. 30, 1951 4'Sheets-Sheet l July 11, 1933. w, G. ADAM ET AL 1,917,682

FURNACE Filed Sept. 50, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .uy M, i933. W. G. ADAM ET AL FURNACE Filed Sept. 50, 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented July 11, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FURNACE This invention relates to furnaces and has for its object to provide an improved construction of furnace whereby to facilitate construction and repairs and to increase the life and eiiiciency thereof. Y

According to the present invention a furnace is formed with an arched roof, means being provided at the ends of the arch to s admit air into the space below the arch and "i" preferably at the angular corners thereof.

The arched roof may be formed in one or more than one arcuate span. Where the arched roof is formed in one arcuate span the latter may be supported on suitable abutments of fire bricks or other suitable refractory material means being incorporated with and at the upper ends'of the abutments to allow of the admission of air into the space ry below the arched roof and preferably at the unctions of the arcuate span with the abutments. The aforesaid air admission means may be entirely supported on the abutments or the said air admission means may be suspended from metallic plates or from a beam 5" supported by the walls of the furnace. The means'for admission of the secondary air act as springers or skew-backs at the outer ends of the arched roof or arched roofs the said *K springers or skew-backs in the case of a single "f" arcuate roof furnace or in the case of a double roof furnace composed of two superposed arcuate spans being supported on abutments or suspended from a metallic plate or beam E?, or from metallic plate or beams or partly "i" supported by abutments and partly sus pended. If so desired however the air admission means may be partly supported by the abutments aforesaid and partly sus- M. pended from metallic plates enclosing they 'w' furnace walls.

The air admission means hereinbefore mentioned form springers for the arcuate spans and these springers may be assembled to form composite members of suitable length so as to eliminate as far as possible eXpansion stresses. Each composite springer other than the end springers which are of a single nature as hereinafter explained is formed of two similar parts (each part being hereinafter referred to as a skew-back) a Application filed September 30, 1931, Serial No.

566,150, and in c-l-eat Briiainoctober 1, 1930.

description of one of which will sufiice for the purpose of the present invention. Each skew-back is made of suitable metaland formed with a top upright flat portion having a downwardly extending and inclined 55 side portion. Projecting inwardly and at the lower part of the inclined portion and a suitable distance from the ends of thc skew-back are two ribs or distance pieces which abut at their inner ends when two skew-backs are assembled with their inclined sides Outward to form a springer block. Each skew-back is provided with an undercut dove-tail recess in the bottom edge of the inclined portion, the sides of the recess conk verging downwardly to receive a block of fire clay or a silica block or a block or other suitable refractory material. rl`he lower face of each skew-back as well as the inwardly projecting abutting portions or distance pieces rest on the upper faces of the undercut porn tions of the lire clay or silica bricks or blocks and each fire brick or block in the case of a composite springer block is of the Vsaine width yas two skew-backs when assembled. The end lire clay or silica blocks may be in two lengthwise parts or if desired any fire clay or silica block or brick may be in two parts divided ina plane parallel to the sides of the said bricky or block.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect reference is made to the accompanying drawings which show diagrammatically and by way of example a construction of furnace in a* accordance with the present invention.

Figure l is a cross section of a furnace in accordance with the present invention the said furnace having a single arcuate roof.

Figure 2 .is a cross section of a furnace in accordance with the present invention having two superposed arcuate roofs.

Figure 3 is a cross section of a furnace having twosuperposed arcuate roofs.

Figure a is a longitudinal section on the lino 9 4 4 Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal elevation showing means for suspending the junctions of the superposed arched roofs.

Figure 6 partly in section is an isometric these spaces 19, 20 secondary air Cil .bricks or other suitable refractory material the said abutments having incorporated therewith springers or skew-backs 4, 5 hetween which and the adjacent outer walls 6, 7 of the furnace, spaces 8, 9 are provided to which secondary air can be delivered through pipes 10, 11. The secondary air in the spaces 8, 9 escapes through slots or spaces 12, 13 at the lower ends of the springers or skew-backs 4, 5 and through sl ots 14, 15 in the abutments 2, into the space below the arcuate roof span 1 and at the angular corners thereof. 1f desired, and as shownin Figure 2, the furnace maybe provided .with two superposed arcuate roof spans such as 1 and 16. The latter roof span is supported on springers or skewbaclrs 17, 18 of a single nature and similar to the skew-backs 4 and 5. 19 and 2() are spaces between the springers or skew-backs 17, 18 and the adjacent plates G and 7. To is admitted through the pipe 19', 20 which air ows through slots or recesses 21, 22 at the lower ends of the springers 17, 18 and through slots 23, 24 into the space below the arcuate roof span 16. In Figures 1 and 2 the furnace is closed on the top by a number of removable plates 25, 26 which are supported on I bars 27. The plates 25, 26, can be removed to permit of access to the roof or roofs of the furnace when desired.

In Figure 3 a furnace is shown having two superposed roof spans but if desired the upper arcuate roof span may be omitted and the furnace constructed with two single roof spans. Similar parts in this ligure bear the same reference numerals as the corresponding parts in Figures 1 and 2.- lt will be seen from Figure 3 however that `the auctions of the superposed arcuate roof spans are supported in a different manner from the ends ofthe roof spans. The unctions of the superposed roof spans are suspended as will be seen from Figures 3, 5 and 6 .from the overhead beam 28. To the lower face of the beam 28 is riveted a. plate 29 extending longitudinally of the furnace and to the latter plate are secured two angle irons 30, 31. VThe angle irons 30, 31 carry two plates 32, 33 the lower ends of which terminate at approximately the ripper levels 34, 35 of the arcuate roof spans 1, 36. Disposed above the arcuate roof span. 36 is another roof yspan 37. The adjacent ends of the roof spans 16. 37 are supported on springers or skew-backs 38, 39 and the-adjacentends of the roof spans 1 and 36 are supported on springers or skew-hacks 40, 41.

It will be seen from Figures 3 and 6 that the springers or skew-backs 38, 39 are secured to the outer faces of the plates 32, 33 and that the lower springers or skew-backs 40, 41 are secured to and between the inner faces of the plates 32, 33. The springers or skew-backs 38, 39 are similar in form, and a description of one is considered suflicient to permit of a clear understanding of the nature of the said springer or skew-back. Each springer of the springers 4, 5, 17, 18, 38 and 39 is formed with a fiat upright portion 42 Figures 1, 2, 3 and 6 which is extended downwardly by .an outwardly diverging inclined portion 43. Formed on the lower end of each springer or skew-back 4, 5, 17, 18, 38, 39 is an 'undercut dove-tail recess 44 at the lower end of each springer and preferably of a downwardly converging form as shown more particularly in Figure 6 so as to carry a brick 45 of ireclay or other suitable refractory material. Each .springer or skewback is provided at each end with a rib or distance piece 46 inset a suitable distance from each end face of the springer 0r skewback. The lower face 47 of each rib or distance piece 46 rests on a face 48 on the brick 45. Angle bars 49 are suitably secured to the inner faces of and between the plates 32, 33 these angle bars 49 acting not only as distance pieces but as baffle plates which are not continuous, ygaps such as 50 being provided between the distance pieces 49 so as to permit of the flow of secondary air downwardly between the plates. -When a series of springers or skew-backs such as 38, 39 are secured in position againstv the outer faces of the plates 32, 33 spaces 51, 52 are formed and these spaces form continuous passages longitudinally of the furnace. The plates 32` 33 are provided with holes 53, 54 so that air flowing down between the plates 32, 33 passes through the said holes 53, 54 into the spaces 51 and 52 and from thence through slots 55 between the outer faces of the inset ribs or distance pieces 46 and the adjacent ends 56 of adjacent bricks. From thence the secondary air flows through the slots 14, 15, 21, 22 in the abutments 2, 3 into the space below the arcuate roof spans 1, 16 and 36, 37. The secondary air also flows through slots 57, 58 Figures 3 and 4 in the abutment 59, built up between and at the junctions of the arcuate roof spans 1, 36 and 16, 37. The springers or skew-backs 38, 39 are almost the same as the springers or .skewbacks 40, 41 the only difference being that the springers or skew-backs 40, 41 in the lower set are provided with thickened faces 60 so that when the springers or skew-backs 40, 41 are assembled to form composite springers or skew-backs as shown in the lower set of sprinO'ers in Figures 3 and 6 a space 61 is provided through which air can flow from the space between the plates 32,- 33 into the space 62 between two' adjacent and butted .springers or skew-backs. rlhe spaces 62 form a continuous passage longitudinally of the furnace and from thence air passes through the slots 55 between the inset ribs or distance pieces 46 and the ends 56 of the bricks' to the spaces below the arcuate roof spans 1 and 86. The faces 63, 64, 65, 66 serve as supports for the end taperbricks which form the arcuate roof spans. lVlien the furnace shown in Figure 1 is in operation secondary air is admitted through the pipes 10, 11 into the .spaces 8, 9 the said air passing through the slots 55 and the slots 14, 15 into the space below the arcuate roof span 1. ln the form shown in Figure 2 secondary air is admitted to the spaces 8, 9, 19 and 20 through the pipes 10, 11, 19 and 20 the air flowing from the spaces 8, 9, 19, 20 through slot-s such as 55 and the slot-s 14, 15 and 23, 24 in the abutments 2, 3 into the spaces below the arcuate roof spans 1 and 16. When the furnace shown in Figure 3 however is in operation the same action takes place but there is an additional admission of air through a pipe 67 into the space between the plates 82, 33 the said air flowing downwardly therein and through the holes 53, 54 in the plates 32, 33 into the spaces 51, 52 between the half springers or the skewbaclrs 3S, 39 and the plates 32, 33. Secondary air also flows downwardly between the plates and through the spaces 61 into the spaces 62 between the composite springers or skew-backs and from thence through the slots 55 and the spaces 68 between the end faces 56, 56 of the bricks 45. The air issuing from the spaces 51, 52 escapes through the slots 57, 58 in the built up suspended abutment 59 into the spaces below the arcuate roof spans 16, 37. The secondary air issuing from the space 62 in the composite `set of springers or skew-backs flows direct into the spaces below the arcuate roof spans 1 and 36.

Furnaces constructed in accordance with this invention `have the advantage that they allow of the use of one grate to any maximum width of furnace, thus eliminating the use of two, three or more grates of smaller width as heretofore necessary in arched roof construction.

The invention as hereinbefore described may be applied to all types of furnaces and te furnaces of the kind having one or more than one opening near the front of the furnace for the purpose of diverting the hot products of combustion to the frontend of the grate over the incoming fuel and thus assist in the ignition of the incoming fuel. The invention may also be applied with advantage to the furnace described and claimed in the specification of British Letters Patent No. 300,187 granted to The Gas Light and Coke Company, William Gordon Adam and Percy Gray.

l/Vhat we claim is 1. A furnace formed with a roof in two or more arcuate spans one beside the other the outer ends of the roof arches being supported on abutments having means incorporated therein and at the upper ends thereof to allow of the admission of air into the spaces below the arches and at the junctions of the arcuate spans with the abutments, the intermediate junction of the span being suspended from an overhead beam.

2. A furnace having a roof formed in one span, abutments supporting the ends of the roof, and means incorporated with the abutments to allow the admission of secondary air into the space below the arcuate roof and approximately at the angular corners thereof, said means including springers each formed with a top, upright flat portion and an inclined side portion, the latter being formed at its lower end with inwardly extending ribs inset from the ends of the said springers.

3. A furnace having a roof formed in one span, abutments supporting the ends of the roof, and means incorporated with the abutments to allow the admission of secondary air into the space below the arcuate roof and approximately at the angular corners thereof, said means including two elements assembled to form a composite springer, an upright flat portion at the top end of each ofthe elements being recessed to permit the two elements to be assembled to provide a space for the passage of secondary air into the interior space between said elements.

4. A furnace having a roof formed in one span, abutments supporting the ends of the roof, and means incorporated with the abutments to allow the admission of secondary air into the space below the arcuate roof and approximately at the angular' corners thereof, said means including springers, each provided at its lower portion with an undercut recess of a downwardly converging form to .receive a brick of refractory material, said means including adjacent'elements forming skew-backs, and ribs provided between the elements to form an air flow space, with the abutments formed with slots to permit the flew of air from said space below the arcuate roof.

5. A furnace having a roof formed in one span, abutments supporting the ends of the roof, and means incorporated with the abutments to allow the admission of secondary air into the space below the arcuate roof and approximately at the angular corners thereof, said means including composite springers, spaced plates supported from an overhead beam to which port-ions of said composite springers are secured, the plates being spaced apart and provided with distance pieces at staggered intervals.

6. A furnace according to claim 5, wherein the composite sprlngers are secured to the outer surfaces of the pla-tes, and a second set of composite springers are secured between fio:

permit oi the Howiof air from the space between tlie plates into the space between the composite springers and the plates.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto n signed our names.

' VILLLJI GORDON ADAM.

PERCY GRAY. 

